The Internet is choc-a-block full of recipes for ‘balls’. Bliss balls, energy balls, protein balls – whatever you call them, they are undeniably fashionable right now.
Many of the recipes I’ve tried are a tad bland, just sweet and not much else.
After much experimentation I have discovered a few sneaky ingredients to make them actually worth having to wash your food processor for: a touch of salt is essential, and the pomegranate provides a tang which makes the rich cherry and toffee flavours from the dried fruit just sing.
With the inclusion of these ingredients, these balls are truly worthy of the name ‘bliss’. They might even still be considered Paleo.
Ingredients
• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
• ½ cup dried cherries
• ⅔ cup walnuts or raw almonds (or ½ cup almond meal)
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsp natural cocoa (or cacao if preferred)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup desiccated coconut, to roll
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried pomegranate seeds, to roll (optional)
Method
1. Line a tray or plate with baking paper.
2. If using pomegranate seeds, blitz briefly in the food processor.
3. Place the processed seeds with the coconut in a shallow bowl.
4. Soak the dates and cherries in hot water for a few minutes, then squeeze to remove excess liquid.
5. Pulse nuts in a food processor until the texture of breadcrumbs, then remove and set aside.
6. Process the dates and cherries until finely chopped.
7. Combine the nut meal with the date and cherry mix, and add the molasses, cocoa and salt. Mix well.
8. Using wet hands, roll small spoonfuls of the dough into balls.
9. Toss the balls in the coconut mixture then place on baking paper.
10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
